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Mathew Goggin earns a major chance

Six years after being blown away by Tom Watson’s golf, Australian journeyman Mathew Goggin moved on to the eight-times major champion’s coat-tails in Saturday’s British Open third round.

Amateur guitarist Goggin, who is yet to win on either the PGA or European tours, maintained his composure in tricky, shifting winds to card a one-under-par 69 on Turnberry’s Ailsa Course.

He shrugged off two early bogeys with a homeward nine of two-under 33, birdies at the 11th and 17th giving him a three-under total of 207.

“It was a very good round and I felt very comfortable,” the 35-year-old Tasmanian told reporters after ending the day one stroke behind shock leader Watson.

“I hit the ball well, drove the ball well.

“The turning point for me was eight. I had birdied seven and then it looked like I was going to make a double bogey but I made a nice putt (from 12 feet) and then played quite well after that. The last 10 holes were really solid.”

Goggin now has the chance to eclipse his previous British Open highlight, the experience of playing in the company of Watson for the third round of the 2003 edition at Royal St George’s.

“It was shocking just how good he was,” he recalled of the American, who was then aged 53.

“I mean, it was ridiculous. I played with him and I’m thinking: ‘He’s getting on in years and not playing so much and he’s just smashing it around this golf course’.

“I was really impressed. He was really good to me and I had a really great experience.”

Goggin has not won anywhere since the 1999 Omaha Classic on the satellite U.S. Nationwide Tour but believes he learned valuable lessons at last year’s Memorial tournament.

He led the Jack Nicklaus-hosted PGA Tour event, which always attracts a strong field, for the first three rounds before finishing in a tie for second.

“That was probably one of the steepest learning curves to me, just to realise how I wasn’t relaxed and I got too quick,” he recalled.

“You start trying too hard as opposed to letting it come to you, so that was a big stepping stone for me as far as being comfortable in that sort of situation.

“Even a day like today, I felt very relaxed and very comfortable and played quite well, so you just try and go out and try to do the same thing tomorrow.”